The Hunchback of Westminster
Page 9
subject, and I read there that the multitude ofworshippers, thereupon, likewise cast in their humbler contributions inthe midst of singing and dancing and to the sound of such musicalinstruments as were available. When the `bearded men' reached thecountry it is stated that the Indians, to put their treasure beyond thepower of the ruthless invaders, threw it into the waters of the lake toa vast value; and, indeed, an attempt was made by the Spaniards tounwater it, so as to get at the submerged accumulation of gold dust andprecious stones. They were not able to reach the bottom, but succeededin lowering the water to such an extent as to expose a portion of themargins of the lake, whence they obtained sufficient to pay to theSpanish Government one hundred and seventy thousand dollars, equivalentto three per cent, on a total recovered of five millions six hundredthousand dollars. There were also emeralds, one of which realisedseventy thousand dollars in Madrid. Further progress was arrested bythe sides of the cutting on the lip of the lake-cup falling in with atremendous crash. The water poured into the mouth of an adjacentvolcano, and a terrible earthquake resulted, before which the Spaniardsand their Jesuit friends fled in terror. A proper record was, however,made later on of the exact position of the lake, but, as MrCooper-Nassington explained, it was lost."
"And you have recovered it," I burst out.
"That is so; but although repeated expeditions were made to thedistrict, which is largely of volcanic origin, to discover it withoutthe key I possess, they all failed; and as the years slipped on theygrew fewer and fewer in number until, as you have heard for yourself,the whole thing has just become a will-o'-the-wisp of the manuscripthunter who, of course, has mostly grown to feel he is as likely todiscover the missing documents as he is to find the title-deeds of thetemple of David.
"But," said the hunchback, suddenly changing his tone and confronting mycompanion with an angry look, "none of this is to the point. It is, ina way, all so much ancient history and as familiar to men like yourself,who rule Mexico through the Stock Exchange or our British ForeignOffice, as your alphabet. What I want to know is: What business is itof yours what I have bought and what I have discovered? You have noshare in this find. You have no right to information. By what right doyou come here demanding to know what I have learned, and shall learn,with infinite patience, expense, and labour?"
"All that in good time, my dear sir," calmly returned Cooper-Nassington."For the present it must be sufficient for you that I have a very realand vital stake in what you have found, and you had better treat me wellover the business when I come to you again after you have deciphered themanuscripts, or you'll live to regret the day I was born."
For a second the two men stood glaring at each other in angry defiance,but again I saw that the millionaire won. Whatever was the mysterioushold he had over the hunchback there was no doubt but that it was a verypotent and a very effective one, and that, however much Zouche mightkick and threaten, in the end he was bound to come to the other's heel.
"All right. Come to me in a fortnight's time," he growled, "and I'llsee then what can be done. Don't fancy, though, that this business issimply fitting out a yacht with a party of Cornish miners and engineersand going to take possession of the loot."
"I don't," said the Member of Parliament coolly; "there are the Jesuitsto reckon with."
"Yes; but that's not the worst," retorted Zouche; "there are others."
"Others!" cried the man in astonishment. "What do you mean?"
"Well, first, who was the man that put you on the track of my discovery,eh? What, for instance, is the name or position of Mr Glynn'semployer?"
In spite of myself I flushed and started. Should I now hear who DonJose Casteno really was, if he were really a friend of Lord CyrilCuthbertson, and why he was a resident at that home of mystery, StBruno's. Alas! no. I was doomed to disappointment.
"We decline to tell you," said my companion with great firmness.
"I shall find out for myself," roared the dwarf.
"Do, if you can," returned the man coolly. "For the present, stick tothe point we are discussing. Who else have we to fear?"
"The cut-throats who did this," snarled the hunchback, stepping quicklyacross the room and taking down a cloak from the walls. Then he spreadthe garment out on the table and indicated certain bullet holes in theback. "They did this to me this afternoon as I walked homeward," headded. "The shots came just as I was crossing Westminster Bridge. Isearched everywhere for a sight of the man, who must have done it withsome new-fangled air-gun. I could find none at all.
"Nor is that all," he proceeded the next moment; "just cast a glance inthis direction, will you?" He stumbled across the parlour to a pointwhere stood an old oaken chest about two feet high, the lid of which hethrew back with a bang. "Do you see that fine mastiff in there?"pointing to the shadowy form of a huge dog in the depths of the chest."Well, an hour ago he was poisoned. By whom? For what? I have livedhere in this house, in this neighbourhood, for five and forty years andnothing of the sort has ever occurred before.
"Ten minutes before your carriage rattled up I had another weirdexperience. Explain it if you can--I can't. I was seated at this verytable poring over one of those precious manuscripts, which I hide in aplace practically inaccessible to anybody except myself, when I becameconscious I was not alone. Somebody, I felt certain, had comemysteriously on the scene and was watching me intently. I glanced upsuddenly, and found there, at that small casement window which opens onthe street, and which is usually guarded by the shutter you now seeplaced in position, the face of a man. `What do you want?' I criedangrily, and darted across the room to fling the shutter back intoposition with all the force I could exert. But he was much too swiftfor me. With incredible rapidity he flung an envelope through theopening and darted off, and the shutter and window slammed together, asI intended, but with an empty bang. The scoundrel had escaped!
"Well, by that time I was accustomed to surprises, and so I took up theenvelope, which was of a cheap, inferior make, similar to those sold bysmall stationers in poor districts. It had no address upon it, but itwas sealed. I tore it open, and found inside a piece of paper bearingthis message." After fumbling behind an ornament on the mantelpiece heproduced a slip that had been evidently torn out of some child'sexercise book, and upon which was written in feigned handwriting toresemble a schoolboy's:
"Your secret is known. At the right moment I shall come to you andclaim it for its lawful owner. Meanwhile, breathe not a word to a soulas you value your property and your life."
"Of course," added the hunchback, with a shrug of the shoulders, "allthis sounds the merest melodrama, and so it may be. But you and I knowquite enough of the importance of those manuscripts to understand howmany rich and extraordinary personages in England, in Spain, in Mexicohave the keenest interest in their contents, their recovery, and theirtranslation. Your Lord Cyril Cuthbertson, for one," shot out Zouche,glancing at the millionaire with eyes full of meaning, yet bright withthe springs of his own hidden resentment.
The Member of Parliament bit his lip. "Maybe, maybe," he said, but Icould see the shot went home and that inwardly he was much perturbed."Still, you must do your best, that's all. Personally, I should say itis your friend, Lord Fotheringay, who feels he can't trust you, but,really, it is your lookout. Come along, Glynn." And he led the wayimpatiently down the passage, and, before the dwarf could say anotherword, he had hurried me out into Tufton Street, which seemed still to beas deserted as the grave.
As we stepped out we heard the door close behind us; and, rememberingthe mysterious letter which Don Jose had instructed me to hand to LordCuthbertson in the case of certain eventualities, I resolved on a boldstep of my own.
"Why," said I suddenly to my companion, "do you fear the Secretary ofState for Foreign Affairs getting wind of this discovery of yours?"
Never shall I forget the effect of this apparently innocent question ofmine!
Never!
CHAPTER SEVEN.
IN STANTON
STREET.
"Why am I afraid that the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs may getwind of the discovery of those manuscripts which locate the exactwhereabouts of the Lake of Sacred Treasure in Mexico?" repeated theMember of Parliament fiercely; and he came to a dead stop at the cornerof the turning into Peter Street.
"For the best of all reasons," he snapped. "He is the one man in theworld I hate with all the force I am capable of. He has proved himselfmy evil genius. In politics, in preferment, in marriage he has beatenme every time we have come into conflict; and if he could only recoverthis possession for England--for, as you will find, this lake reallybelongs to this country